New York's Nefarious Callaway Supernatural Grand Sport

ZOOM ::: Don't worry, this time Dan's racing on a closed course. But don't be surprised if you see a white streak on the New Jersey Turnpike pass you by like you were standing still. It's just Dan.

"You can't have your cake and eat it too" is a ridiculous saying. What else would you do with a cake? Wear it? Put it on a shelf? Leave it out in the rain? What exactly does the saying mean to imply? That once laboring to bake and decorate a cake you somehow aren't expected to actually enjoy the fruits of your labor? That's a ludicrous idea. Rather, the saying should be, "If you want to eat a whole cake, you better make it yourself."

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Buried deep underneath all the General Motors' technology lays the heart of a hot rod; a stroked and bored small-block 350 Chevrolet punched out to 383 ci and making a whopping 450 ponies and 450 lb-ft of torque.

Enjoying the spoils of hard work is part of the American dream. The idea that anyone can pull themselves up by their bootstraps from impoverished circumstances to enjoy a successful life and eventual peaceful retirement is what fuels thousands of immigrants to leave their native countries and move to the United States every year. And what better vehicle to embody the true spirit of the American dream than the Chevrolet Corvette. Coming from humble but optimistic beginnings, the tiny roadster first aimed its sights at the European two-seaters. But with the hot rod craze in full swing, the General redirected its direction towards the V-8 domestic market. There, the Corvette would flourish. Larger engines, new innovations such as fuel injection, advances in suspension and handling equipment, and sharper, more aggressive styling would cement the Corvette as one of the most iconic American cars ever.

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Since its modest early development, the Corvette has grown into a true performance vehicle, with more and more aftermarket and private parties contributing to the Corvette's legacy. In conjunction with the already stout factory performance, aftermarket tuned Vettes are some of the most formidable vehicles on the road today.

Take, for example, Dan and Gina Cassinelli's '96 Callaway Supernatural Grand Sport. By 1996, Chevrolet was offering a series of fearsome performance options. Fresh from the success of the ZR-1, GM chose to take their legendary 350 small-block, then labeled the LT1, and tweak it slightly, redubbing it the LT4. The new LT4 sported thirty more horses than its more subdued sibling. The LT4 was fitted with higher compression (10.8:1 versus the previous 10.4:1), new redesigned aluminum heads, a revised camshaft, Crane roller rockers, and a greatly improved throttle body. The LT4 engine was available in 1996 as either an optional powerplant on top of the base Corvette or the standard engine for the venerable Grand Sport, a performance package that delivered more than just good looks. Mandatory in Admiral Blue with a white center stripe and red hash marks on the driver side front fender, the GS came with the aforementioned lung mated to a performance bred six-speed manual transmission, as well as ZR-1 wheels, painted black, and racing tires and optional suspension upgrades that could be individually selected.

MORE PHOTOS

ZOOM ::: Don't worry, this time Dan's racing on a closed course. But don't be surprised if you see a white streak on the New Jersey Turnpike pass you by like you were standing still. It's just Dan.

Buried deep underneath all the General Motors' technology lays the heart of a hot rod; a stroked and bored small-block 350 Chevrolet punched out to 383 ci and making a whopping 450 ponies and 450 lb-ft of torque.

As the only white Grand Sport Callaway with the Supernatural LT4, Dan Cassinelli's '96 Corvette carries a lot of custom badging and labeling that lets everyone know what they're dealing with.